Bottle case



Jan. 10, 1967 s, cLQYD 3,297,190

BOTTLE CASE Filed May 6, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet l H. S. CLOYD BOTTLE CASE Jan. 10, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 6, 1964 INVENTOR. 9M S W BY if FIG. 4

United States Patent 3,297,190 BOTTLE CASE Harold S. Cloyd, Erie, Pa., assignor to Nosco Plastics, Incorporated, Erie, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed May 6, 1964, Ser. No. 365,256 3 Claims. (Cl. 220-21) This invention is a bottle case which can be quickly converted to hold bottles in individual pockets or to hold cartons of bottles. The coversion is by inserts which snap into the compartments for the cartons and provide pockets for individual bottles.

In the drawing, FIG. 1 is a plan view of one quadrant of a case with an insert in place forming individual bottle pockets, FIG. 2 is a plan view of the insert, FIG. 3 is a side view of the insert, FIG. 4 is an end view of the insert, and FIG. 5 is a fragmentary section showing the inter-lock between the insert and the case.

In FIG. 1, there is shown a bottle case having side walls 1, end walls 2, a bottom wall 3, and four intersecting partitions 4. On the bottom wall are reenforcing ribs 5 arranged in any desired pattern to distribut the load of the individual bottles. The parts so far described and diagrammatically illustrated are or may be of common construction and are conveniently molded in one piece from plastic.

In this basic case there are four compartments 6, each holding a six pack carton.

Conversion of the case to adapt the basic case to 24 individual bottles is accomplished by mounting a divider 7 (only one being shown) in each of the compartments 6. The divider has six surfaces 8 which cooperate with the adjacent side and end walls and partitions to provide individual pockets for the bottles shown in outline by dotted lines 10 in FIG. 1. Deconversion of the case to return it for service with six pack cartons is by removing the dividers. By this construction, the manufacturer need make only the basic case and the dividers, thus reducing the cost of production. The user can meet the changing demand for cases of individual bottles or of six pack cartons with a smaller inventory.

The divider 7 shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 has a top wall 11 and side walls 12 depending from the edges of the top wall 11 of height comparable to the side and end walls 1, 2, or at least of height adequate to provide support for the individual bottles. The side walls 12 are generally concave to provide the bottle supporting surfaces 8 each engaging one side of a bottle. The side walls taper outwardly from top to bottom and may be further cored out as indicated by dotted lines 13 to save material. Adjacent side walls are joined by junctions 14 similarly tapered outwardly from top to bottom and at the lower ends the junctions are provided with outwardly extending locking projections or shoulders 15 which in the assembled position shown in FIG. 5 extend under shoulders 16 on upstanding ribs 17 integral with the bottom wall 3 of the case. The ribs 17 conveniently may be tied into the pattern of reenforcing ribs 5.

The installation (and removal) of the dividers 7 is effected by squeezing the junctions 14 inward until the 3,297,190 Patented Jan. 10, 1967 shoulders 15 clear the shoulders 16. A suitable fixture having a wall 18 opposite each junction 14 can be telescoped over the divider to squeeze or cam the junction inward. Other expedients are available.

What is claimed as new is:

1. A bottle case having a compartment for a carton of a plurality of individual bottles, said compartment having side, bottom and end walls, a divider in said compartment having a top wall and side walls depending from the top wall, said side walls of the divider being generally concave and cooperating with the adjacent side and end walls of the pocket to provide pockets for supporting individual bottles, adjacent side walls of said divider being joined by junctions, the lower ends of the junctions being adjacent the bottom wall of the compartment, and interlocking shoulders on the lower end of the junctions and bottom wall of the compartment for securing the divider in the compartment.

2. A bottle case having a compartment for a carton of a plurality of individual bottles, said compartment having side, bottom and end walls, a divider in said compartment having a top wall and side walls depending from the top wall, said side walls being generally concave and cooperating with the adjacent side and end walls of the compartment to provide pockets for supporting individual bottles, adjacent side walls of said divider being joined by junctions, the lower ends of the junctions being adjacent the bottom wall of the compartment, upstanding n'bs on the bottom wall of the compartment outside and presented toward the respective junctions, said ribs being undercut to provide shoulders, and outwardly extending projections on said junctions received beneath said shoulders.

3. A bottle case having a compartment for a carton of a plurality of individual bottles, said compartment having side, bottom and end walls, a divider in said compartment having flexible side walls spaced from the side and end walls of the compartment, said side walls each having a generally concave surface for engaging one side of a bottle, said concave surfaces cooperating with the adjacent side and end walls to provide individual pockets each receiving an individual bottle, the lower ends of the flexible side walls being adjacent the bottom wall of the compartment, and interlocking shoulders on the lower end of the flexible side walls and bottom wall of the compartment for securing the divider in the compartment.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 171,132 12/ 1953 Hudson. 2,821,327 1/ 1958 Glazer.

3,037,658 6/1962 Schray 220-17 3,055,531 9/ 196-2 DeChelbor 220-21 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,351,453 12/ 1963 France.

LOUIS G. MANCENE, Primary Examiner,

GEORGE E, LOWRANCE, Examiner, 

1. A BOTTLE CASE HAVING A COMPARTMENT FOR A CARTON OF A PLURALITY OF INDIVIDUAL BOTTLES, SAID COMPARTMENT HAVING SIDE, BOTTOM AND END WALLS, A DIVIDER IN SAID COMPARTMENT HAVING A TOP WALL AND SIDE WALLS DEPENDING FROM THE TOP WALL, SAID SIDE WALLS OF THE DIVIDER BEING GENERALLY CONCAVE AND COOPERATING WITH THE ADJACENT SIDE AND END WALLS OF THE POCKET TO PROVIDE POCKET FOR SUPPORTING INDIVIDUAL BOTTLES, ADJACENT SIDE WALLS OF SAID DIVIDER BEING JOINED BY JUNCTIONS, THE LOWER ENDS OF THE JUNCTIONS BEING ADJACENT THE BOTTOM WALL OF THE COMPARTMENT, AND INTERLOCKING SHOULDERS ON THE LOWER END OF THE JUNCTIONS AND BOTTOM WALL OF THE COMPARTMENT FOR SECURING THE DIVIDER IN THE COMPARTMENT. 